Theme: Fundraising

Staff at Broadstone Mill Shopping Outlet within Broadstone Mill in Reddish – once the largest cotton spinning mill in the world – are holding a charity walk linked to the site’s history and heritage.

Claire Vincent, Marketing Manager at Broadstone Mill Shopping Outlet, said: “When it was a working mill the last leg of the cotton’s journey was along the Manchester Ship Canal.

“We’re walking as far as we can in March, with over a million steps walked in the first week of the challenge. We’re then working out how many times we’d have walked up the Ship Canal. The activity has brought staff together, even though most are furloughed.”

Over a century ago the building echoed to the sound of machines. From Monday, April 12, it will hopefully be the noise from ringing tills and chatting customers when the outlet finally reopens after being closed for much of the last year due to Covid-19.

Broadstone Mill Shopping Outlet, the department store with two floors of shopping and places to eat, has chosen our hospice as its charity of the year.

To sponsor Broadstone Mill Shopping Outlet visit their Just Giving page here.

A Bramhall solicitor firm has pledged to support St Ann’s by offering a free Will writing service for people from across Greater Manchester. 

Butcher and Barlow LLP in Bramhall is supporting St Ann’s during our Will Month campaign, for the second year, pledging to raise much-needed funds for our hospice, whilst helping local people to gain peace of mind from getting their affairs in order. 

Matthew Watson, who is based at the firm’s Bramhall branch, along with colleagues Claire Jackson from their Leigh office, and Donna Crossthwaite from the Prestwich office will all be waiving their usual fees for preparing a simple Will or mirror Wills, and instead asking clients to make a donation to St Ann’s. They join a range of other solicitors from the area who have pledged their support for the popular campaign in aid of local patients. 

Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of our hospice, said: “As a charity, we rely on the kind support of businesses and individuals from our local community and we’re so grateful to the team at Butcher and Barlow LLP for partnering with us for our Will Month again this year. 

“Around a third of our income every year comes thanks to the amazing generosity of people who remember us in their Will – it’s a truly lasting legacy that means we can continue to provide specialist care to local patients and their loved ones. 

“People joining Butcher and Barlow LLP for this initiative don’t need to be previous supporters of St Ann’s, and they don’t need to be leaving a gift in their Will to us either.  If they do decide to do so that would be hugely appreciated, but, hopefully by taking part and writing or updating their Will they will get real peace of mind from getting their affairs in order and ensuring their loved ones know their wishes.” 

The Manchester Midnight Walk will have a virtual twist this year, as we respond creatively to the pandemic restrictions and adapt the event to ensure our biggest fundraiser of the year can continue.  

The city is normally buzzing with excitement each year as more than a thousand participants take to the streets for the sponsored 10km walk in aid of our patients. 

This year’s event was set to be bigger and better than ever before to mark our 50th anniversary on 17th May, but when lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions led to the cancellation of the physical event, we had to think creatively about how supporters can still raise funds 

Rachel McMillan, St Ann’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s really disappointing that we can’t hold the Manchester Midnight Walk in the usual way this year – it’s been running for fourteen years, and walkers have raised a staggering £2million for the hospice in that time.   

“But, the safety of our supporters is the most important thing to us, and our team have come up with a way that people from across the city can still join in and take part in our birthday edition of the walk, just with a virtual twist this year.”  

We’re inviting you to sign up and take on the challenge to walk 10km over the hospice’s 50th birthday weekend from 14th to 17th May. You can choose to walk 10km in one go, or to split it into smaller chunks, and can decide to complete the distance whenever and wherever you wish. 

Rachel added: 

Participants will receive a free fundraising pack and yellow t-shirt to don during their walk, and will also be sent an exclusive medal on completion. 

The 50th anniversary of St Ann’s Hospice brings back lots of happy memories for Dehrne Hancock who even threw herself off Manchester Town Hall for the sake of the charity.

Her head for heights also saw an abseil down the CIS Tower, the Co-op headquarters in the city centre and at one time the tallest building in the country.

Such bravery was all in a day’s work for Dehrne in her role as the hospice’s corporate fundraiser, a post she took up after organising a charity fun weekend at Grove Park sports ground in Cheadle Hulme.

That was on behalf of Manchester Rugby Club and Cheadle Hulme Cricket Club, both of which her husband David captained.

The occasion, in May 1995, marked the 25th birthday of the clubs’ home. The couple have been proud members for 50 years.

That event was also used to launch a Silver Jubilee Appeal for St Ann’s to count down to its same anniversary at the Heald Green site the following year.

Dehrne did so well as organiser that William Stewart, Appeals Director at the hospice at the time, persuaded her to work for the charity soon after.

The Bramhall grandmother recalled: “We had a fabulous weekend and although it took a lot of planning, it wasn’t as terrifying as jumping off the town hall at my first fundraising event!

“The fun weekend was a joint effort and cemented a great friendship with the hospice, raising £7,000 for the two organisations.

“I remember we had over 250 members at a quiz in a marquee on the cricket pitch on the Friday night before an Antiques road show the next morning.

“World renowned jazz musician Humphrey Lyttelton entertained a 450-strong audience at a black tie dinner the same night, while the next day we staged a celebrity cricket match between soap stars and United and City players.

“We used the marquee for a Sunday soul night and ended the Bank Holiday weekend with a family fun day.” said Dehrne.

Highlights while working at St Ann’s included helping organise the BBC’s Songs of Praise, the first televised event from the newly-opened Bridgewater Hall in 1996.

Dehrne’s duties involved driving TV news presenter Martyn Lewis there in her Mini. She said: “We pulled up at the traffic lights near the hospice and a passer-by was amazed when they spotted who was in the car. Martyn was hosting the programme.”

Another abiding memory was helping organise ‘2,000 in 2000,’ a millennium choir concert at the Manchester Arena featuring 2,000 male voices.

Dehrne still supports the hospice and her team from Bramhall Golf Club have entered the next St Ann’s Golf Day at Dunham Forest Golf and Country Club.

Schoolboy Adam Collis copied his hero Captain Tom by pushing himself to the limit to help others.

Adam spent his half-term holiday cycling 50 laps of his local park raising funds for St Ann’s where his late grandmother was a patient.

The challenge in East Avenue Park, near his home in Heald Green, was a test of endurance for 11-year-old Adam, who has cerebral palsy and was once told he would never cycle.

Mum Sue said: “From day one medical experts said he’d never be able to ride a bike. We even went for an assessment two weeks ago and they couldn’t believe he could balance himself enough to ride without stabilisers.

“He’s quite determined and a couple of years ago said he wanted to ride a bike like everyone else. At first, I had to push him, then he took off and did it himself.

“He loved Captain Sir Tom Moore who was much like Adam in his determination to do something. He thinks that if someone that old could walk 100 lengths of his garden, then he can do this.”

Adam, who attends Etchells Primary School, has raised £1,000 for St Ann’s so far where Rita Gallagher, 73, spent six weeks before she died of cancer in August.

Sue said: “The care was amazing and it wasn’t just about my mum, but all of us. It was so personal and nurses worried about us, as well as mum. Unfortunately, Adam couldn’t visit his nana on the ward because of Covid so they met in the hospice gardens.

“Last year the focus was all on NHS and we got a leaflet from St Ann’s saying it was the 50th birthday, so Adam said he’d like to do something for nana and raise funds to help others.”

Adam said:

Our Chief Executive, Rachel McMillan, said:

To sponsor Adam please visit his Go Fund Me page or alternatively you can make a donation to St Ann’s below.